Improved fire-escape



.Y IMI. VALE..

N.FETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER. WASNKNGTON D C A lliutrtl tatet @metdtiiyiw.

, Lette/rs Patent No. 99,399, dated February 1, 1870.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and nakng part of theeame To all whom 'it may concern:

' Be it known that we, WILLIAM BURDrrT and GEORGE H. BURDITT, bot-h ofBoston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Fire-Escapes; and we do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, andexact description thereof, referencebeing had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specitication, inwhich- A Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved device as itappears when in position for use.

Figure 2 is a vertical side elevation, showing the entrance-aperturesfrom the different stories of the building to which it is attached, andalso the means .of attaching it to the windows cfa building.

This invention relates to that class of devices which are denominatedfire-escapes, the object of which is to afford ready means of escapefrom burning buildings, or from buildings where the usual avenues ofescape have been cut ol by any other means; and to this end,

i 1t consists- First, in providing a tubeor pipe of canvas, or othersuitable material, and of the proper dimensions, which tube or pipe isreduced in such diameter by folding or gathering, and by beingsurrounded by a spiral elastic or yielding hand, as a consequence ofwhich, persons, in descending through it, can regulate their descent;and.

Secondly, in the arrangement of the entrance-apertures' with referenceto the tube; and

Thirdly, in the combination and arrangement of the devices for securingit to the window, as will be more fully described hereinafter.l

A, in the drawiugs,represents a'tube or pipe, which may be made ofcanvas, or any otherstrong cloth, or it may be of India rubber, or ofany suitable iexible material, it being sewed or otherwise formed into atube of the required size, say eighteen or twenty inches in diameter,when extended.

rIlhe upper end of this tube is to be provided with a hood, orentrance-aperture, through which a person may enter, when it is in theproper position for such person to escape through, as shown in fig. 2 ofthe drawings. At such points below the above-referred-toentrance-aperture as will bring ythem opposite the windows of thestories below, there may be formed other entrance-apertures, as shown inthe same ligure, so that the same device may aord the means oflescape topelsons in any ofthe rooms vbelow the upper story,

the windows of which are in line with the onel to which it is secured.These last-mentioned apertures are designated A2 in the iigure referredto. An important feature in this tube consists in extending that portion.thereof which is above each of the apertures A2, down past suchapertures, so that a person descending from any of the upper rooms maynot be liable to become entangled with or in such apertures, they beingcouducted past them by such extended portions.

A1 represents an elastic band, which is to be secured to the upperportion of the tube, just below thehood or entraucefaperture, from whichpoint it is to extend spirally around the same to its lower end. Thisband may be made of India rubber, or of any other elastic substance. Anequivalent means of giving the required elasticity to the tube, wouldconsist oi' a goring or strip of elast-ic material, inserted into thetube; or metallic bands could be used, not united at their ends, whichform of construction would permit them to open sniiciently to permit theperson to pass through. In applying this elastic material, the tube istobe contracted to about one-half of its diameter, -so that any vperson, in descending through it, may regulate the velocity of hisdescent, by simply extending his elbows, sc asto cause them 'to comeI incontact with the tube at the points where the elastic material encirclesit. The same result may be produced by bending the body, or by extendingthe knees, in such a manner as to cause them to rest upon the'encirclingelastic bands or hoops, by the doing of which the descent may beregulated, or the person may stop his descent .altogether at any desiredpoint, the bands being secured to the tube at proper intervals along itssurface for that purpose.

B B B represent the windows of a building, to\

which the escape is shown as attached, the lower end of which, when inposition, should be some two or three feet from the earth or sidewalk.

O represents a frame, of metal, which is to be se cured to the lowerportion of the upper hood or entrance-aperture, in such a manner as tokeep it extended, so that a person can easily enter it. The inner endsof this ii'ame are to be bent downward, at a right angle tothe body ofthe same, as shown in fig. 2, such projecting parts being pointed, so asto enable them to take hold of the window-sill, or they `may hook oversuch sill.

Ol represents a bow or frame of metal, which is hinged to frame O, at ornear the point where it comes in contact with the window-sill or wall ofthe building.

.To this bow or frame, the upper portion of the hood is attached, insuchV a manner, that when it is in the position shown in the drawings,the entrance-aperture is always kept open. Upon the top of this bow,there is an inwardly-projecting piece of metal, which extends in thatdirection for a distance equal to `or a little more than the thicknessof the window-sash, when it is turned upward, so as to form a hook,which, when the escape is in position for use, the .lower portion of thesash may be allowed to rest upon;. the bow Gl and its-hook will preventits being displaced by the person descending through such escape.

G2 represents an arm, of which there to be two, one secured to eachportion of the frame C, in such a position as to bear against the wallof the building below the entranceaperture, and thus form an additionalsupport for the escape.

D represents an elastic rope or cord, which it to be attached to the bowGl, upon each of its arms, and is to be provided, at its outer end, witha metallic hook. The ofce of this fastening is to vgive additionalsecurity to the escape, by carrying the elastic rope over thewindow-sill, and passing the hook over its inner lower edge, and causingit to bear upon its under surface, so that if any of the otherfastenings should give way, this would remain, and thus prevent thefalling of the escape. To each of the entrance-apertures below the upperone, or to the frames surrounding their mouths, there is to be attachedone of these elastic ropes and a hook, so as to prevent the swinging ofthe tubes while the`person is descending. Instead of the elasticrope,above described, a non-elastic rope or chain may be used, which willanswer 'a good purpose.

Having thus described our invention,

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fire-escape, consisting of a tube of canvas, or other flexiblematerial, of sufficient diameter to permit of the passage of a personthrough it, but which is reduced in such diameter by folding orgathering, and by heilig surrounding by a spiral, elastic, or yieldingband, as a consequence of which, persons, in descending through it,can-regulate their descent, 'substantially as and for thc purpose setforth.

-2. The entrance-apertures A2, substantially as and for the purpose setfort-h.v

3,. The arrangement of the main tube of the escape, with reference tothe'eutrancc-apertures A, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4 4. Thel elastic supports D, in combination with theentrance-apertures, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. rl`he arrangement of the frame C, bow Gl, supports G, and hood ortube A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. v

I n testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM BURDITT. GEORGE H. BURDITT. Witnesses:

FREEMAN BAKER, A. Wm. Huss.

